With all of the talk in Hawaii from the anti-aquarium activists, we’re constantly exploring new ways to make our hobby better and more responsible. Before I proceed, I should make it clear that this is not an admission on my part that the aquarium industry is doing anything wrong. Rather, it is merely an exploration into improving an industry that already promotes the aquaculture of its own products in any way possible. Admittedly, some of these improvements are in response to recent criticisms, while others are simply expanding on what is already taking place within the industry. Regardless, they are things I feel will move this hobby forward in a very sustainable way.

For the most part, aquarium breeders have been the aquarium industries shining light. Between the work of standout individuals and that of certain companies, they are all doing great work in promoting education within our hobby and taking great strides toward conquering the finicky nature and breeding habits of many different fish. This obviously relieves stress on wild populations of fish, but this progress, by and large, is completely ignored by the anti-aquarium folks. They continue to take the moral low ground, often ignoring the data that’s right in front of them and attacking a hobby that has probably the least impact in their state when compared to the far more destructive practices of sport fishing, tourism, diving activities, and so many more. To press onward, hobbyists need to not only continue being better fish breeders with the fish they have already had success, but also explore new and more difficult fish. Broadcast spawners like the yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), who have long pre-settlement larval phases, obviously present some difficulties, but someday these fish will be able to be bred in captivity. Groundbreaking work is being done on a daily basis, and banning the industry outright severely undermines and stifles those efforts.

ORA is one of the leaders in marketing commercially available captive-bred marine ornamentals

Unfortunately, aquarium breeding activities will not be the only saving grace for our hobby. As we mentioned, many species are very difficult to breed in captivity, which means wild-caught fish will continue to supply the aquarium industry. Because of this, we collectively need to figure out ways to reduce our dependence on wild stock. I’m a big proponent of setting up a white list for species that are not showing signs of declining in the wild or a n0-take list of species that historically don’t do well in captivity or have dwindling numbers on the reefs. Of course, any list created will have to be done so reasonably and without emotion. Anti-aquarium activists don’t feel like wild yellow tang populations are doing well. The yellow tang is their poster boy for declining fish numbers, so they have attached all manner of emotion to that particular species. Fortunately, the data doesn’t paint the same picture as the activists. According to Hawaii’s Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), yellow tang populations have actually been on the rise thanks to no-take zones created around the islands, leading to the reasonable conclusion that the fishery is sustainable.

There are several species, however, that I personally feel should be left in the wild. I don’t suggest completely cutting them off to the hobby completely, as any future breeding attempts would require wild-caught individuals, but fish that simply don’t do well in captivity need to be imported in far fewer numbers. These could include the blue spot jawfish (Opistognathus rosenblatti), cleaner wrasses (Labroides sp.), and moorish idols (Zanclus canescens) to name a few, with the overall goal being limited availability to aquarium hobbyists. All of that being said, I will reinforce the ability of fish breeding activities with one of the biggest success stories in aquarium breeding. In 2010, the mandarin goby was successfully bred in captivity. For years they were regarded as one of the most notoriously difficult fish to keep alive in captivity. Despite this, hobbyists continued to purchase them most likely for their color and different mode of locomotion. Their popularity eventually led to a commercially available captive-bred mandarin gobies from a couple of different species. They were more expensive than their wild-caught counterparts, but they were completely bred and raised in a facility rather than being taken from the ocean. Of course, this no-take list starts with the aquarium hobbyist. If hobbyists stop buying these individuals, then they will likely not be imported as frequently. This will quiet some of the criticisms the hobby is receiving, but they will likely just take a different approach.

Female Leopard Wrasse

Expanding on the idea of a white list or a no-take list, the industry could impose quotas on certain species. This would ensure that no particular species would be over-harvested, and they could start out as being self-imposed regulations. These quotas would be enforced on the collector or possibly the wholesale level, and would probably be the most effective way to get the anti-aquarium nuts off our backs. That is, until other non-related anthropomorphic activities (e.g. tourism, diving, land development, etc.) around the ocean continue to drive down fish populations and the Snorkel Bob’s of the world need something else about the aquarium industry to gripe about. The obvious and immediate downside to quotas and other regulations would be an immediate price jump in the affected species. I would be willing to accept price jumps if necessary and reasonable, and this alone would potentially curtail some interest in the hobby by those who aren’t truly dedicated to it. Regardless of the route we take, if our hobby doesn’t start regulating itself, some legislative group might step in and try to do it for us.

Again, this article is not an admission of wrongdoing by the aquarium industry. The hobby is taking great steps to improve upon itself every single day and the arguments presented by folks that despise our industry is often skewed and full of inaccuracies. Despite that, we still need to be good stewards of the earth and do what we can to make as little negative impact as possible. Hopefully articles like this open up the dialogue among aquarium keepers and people within the industry. These suggestions may not be the best steps toward the most sustainable future, but we believe they are steps in the right direction.

Contrary to popular belief, not all pH calibration fluids are the same.  When purchasing pH calibration fluid, try to stick to major brand names such as Pinpoint, Hanna, and Milwaukee.  A comparison done by Randy Holmes-Farley showed a huge discrepancy in several different brands.  In one case a pH4 calibration fluid measured pH6!  Bad calibration fluid could skew a normal reading of pH8.2 to something along the lines of pH7.6 to pH8.8.

While it is possible to reuse the calibration fluid, there’s an inherent risk of CO2 lowering the pH level in the calibration fluid.  This is more prevalent in pH7 and 10 calibration fluids.  Make sure to rinse the pH probe with RO/DI water after using each solution, and try to keep the solution sealed up as well as possible.  While there are larger bottles of calibration fluid available, I find it easier just to stock up on several single use solutions. Remember to stock up on pH4.0 solution as well if you’re running a calcium reactor.

For more information, click here to read Randy’s full comparison on pH calibration fluids.

Elos recently released two test kits under their new “expert” test kit line. These are the Phosphate and Potassium test kits, of which we have reviewed the Potassium kit. Here we take an up-close look at it, and throw it up against a more popular potassium test kit, the KZ Kalium testkit. Potassium dosing is generally not recommended in most home reefs. It is usually dosed to help supplement dropping potassium levels in probiotic systems such as Zeovit or Ultralith. It is unclear if the potassium is absorbed by the zeolith or if the potassium is consumed by the beneficial bacterial to multiply. It is clear that shortly after starting Zeovit, potassium will drop significantly and this could cause problems. That is why it is paramount to check potassium if running Zeovit or something similair.

What’s in the box?

• 2 – Standard Elos Test Vials
• 4 – syringes
• 1 – standard Elos measurement spoon
• 1 – Test reagent powder
• 1 – Aquatest RO water vial

Using the kit was pretty straight forward. Everything was easy to read and follow. The KZ Kalium test required you to move the test sample across a colored gradient scale until the color of the gradient is no longer visible through the sample. In comparison, the Elos test requires you to place a vial over a black dot on the test card. Then you slowly fill up the vial with the test solution, until the black dot is no longer visible though the test solution. Then simply fold up the test card and read the results.

The scale for the KZ test kit is considerably longer then that of the Elos test kit. Because of this, the KZ test can definitely give you a more precise reading. The Elos test kit is extremely easy to read, while the KZ takes quite a bit of practice to get used to it.

There are a few things I wished Elos did differently with this kit. There is really no need for a range of 100-600ppm, instead it should have been ranged from 200ppm-450ppm with markers every 10-20ppm. This would have been a lot more useful.

Verdict:

The Elos Potassium test kit was easy to use and very easy to read. Compared to the KZ test kit, the Elos wins hands down in that department. As I noted earlier, the actual precision of the reading could be a different story. One possible major flaw with the Elos test kit is the AquaDest Reagent. Elos only supplies 100mL of this reagent in the kit, only enough for 10 tests. While it could be possible to use our own RO water, packaging only enough RO water for 10 tests is rather ridiculous. KZ supplies enough K1 reagent for approximately 20-25 tests, bringing the cost per test to about $1.72 per test. The Elos test kit runs about $3.70 per test, possibly a lot less if we can use our own RO/DI water. Gauging the dry reagent, there should be enough for over 30 tests.

I came across a very interesting thread on one of the forums discussing the act of urinating in a newly set up marine aquarium in an attempt to jump start the nitrogen cycle. The basic premise behind the theory is that ammonia in the urine won’t have to come from decaying organic matter typically found on live rock, but will instead come directly from the pee. Long story short, the bacteria will consume the ammonia in the urine, converting it to nitrite, and then on to nitrate, thus completing the cycle. It’s a radical idea to some, but apparently it’s been in use in discus aquariums for quite a long time.

I’m not advocating using this technique, an opinion shared by several of those who commented, but I do find the technique to be intriguing. Several people suggested that by using urine, the tank cycle would actually be prolonged due to the intense amount of ammonia being introduced. Others claimed that phosphates and other chemicals found in the urine would get absorbed into the live rock, presenting problems down the road. An alternative solution presented by a few of the hobbyists was to add bottled ammonia to the aquarium instead. While this would serve as a purer source of ammonia, potential side effects could occur with this route as well.

I’m more for taking a natural approach, but with the increased use of dried rocks which are basically devoid of any life, using a less conventional method might be more ideal. Of course, with this being well off the beaten path, there are probably many drawbacks to this method that have yet to be discovered.

ZEOvit Additives

With aquarium filtration becoming more advanced, a lot of reef aquariums are beginning to run extremely low nitrate and phosphate levels. Protein skimmers, bio pellets, chemical additives, and large/frequent water changes are doing what they are intended to do (e.g. remove dissolved organics), but are some aquarists going too far? Natural seawater does have detectable levels of the elements and compounds we strive to remove from our tanks, yet almost every piece of equipment and bottle of additive focuses on completely stripping your water of these substances. Most aquarium keepers will never run into this problem, but the complete lack of nutrients can be somewhat harmful to a full blown reef aquarium.

Continue reading below for my personal experiences with nitrogen and phosphate deprived reef systems.

Tridacna crocea clam among corals

Corals and invertebrates rely on substances in the water, both dissolved and not, as part of their nutritional intake. Some corals ingest large particles, while others filter feed on microscopic organisms suspended in the water. Some animals even consume molecules such as nitrate and phosphate. These are mainly bacteria, but Tridacnid clams and Zooxanthellae algae are also known to take in nitrate. Zooxanthallae, if you’re not familiar, live in coral tissues and give the corals their colors. They also provide about 90% or more of a coral’s food via photosynthesis, depending on the coral species of course. If these animals don’t get enough nutrients, they could potentially starve.

NP BioPellets Closeup

Luckily, most aquarium keepers will never run into this situation. In fact, they have the opposite problem. Uneaten fish food, fish poop, salt mixes, and additives are all sources for the nutrients that feed our reefs. But reef keepers who utilize multiple forms of filtration may encounter these issues. From a personal scenario, I experimented with a full-blown ZEOvit system and noticed that the corals became more sensitive to small changes. Replacing bulbs, a regular task that didn’t normally affect the corals so much, became a very nerve racking ordeal. The corals would instantly respond in a manner that I didn’t feel comfortable with (fading coloration, retracted polyps). Returning the aquarium back to elevated levels of nitrates and phosphates, I noticed the corals became less sensitive to external factors.

In leaving, I wanted to make sure that the readers don’t misunderstand me. I am not advocating that you stop trying to achieve “clean” aquarium water, but do be careful when using multiple forms of aquarium filtration. Sometimes we can overdo things, however it’s unlikely to occur with the standard equipment on the normal reef aquarium.

A short time back I was wanting something more from my reef tank. I saw all of the spectacular coral colors that people using ZEOvit and other amino acid additives were getting and I wanted to get in on the action. I researched and read about all of the different user guides and reviews of ZEOvit and various other liquid filtration methods, and after much debate I finally pulled the trigger on the ZEOvit.

I’ll go into more detail about the dosing regimens and specifics in a later post, but for now I wanted to show you the color progression of one of my favorite Acropora colonies when I was using ZEOvit.

Blue Acropora Coral Before ZEOvit

Blue Acropora Coral At Start of ZEOvit

Blue Acropora Coral At Start of ZEOvit

Blue Acropora Coral After a Couple Weeks of ZEOvit

Blue Acropora with Beautifully Developing Tips

Blue Acropora after Several Weeks of Zeovit

The lighting scheme did not change at any point during this time frame. The colors clearly intensified and the coral polyps would extend further. Again, I’ll go into product specifics at a later date, but I just wanted to share some progression shots.

NP BioPellets

Aquarium Specialty has secured exclusive distributorship of NP BioPellets for the United States. Dubbed “solid vodka”, NP BioPellets are composed of biodegradable polymers than can be placed virtually anywhere in the aquarium. These BioPellets will allow aerobic bacteria to use the carbon source provided by the pellet, allowing the bacteria population to grow. Bacterial growth directly results in the reducing of nitrates, phosphates, and other nutrients. This conversion of organic BioPellets into microbial biomass is called immobilization. In addition, anaerobic layers will develop, resulting in additional denitrification. The excess bacteria will be removed by a protein skimmer or filter feeding invertebrates.

NP BioPellets Closeup

NP BioPellets Diagram

Some more info on this new product from Aquarium Specialty

On average this “solid wodka method” takes 2-4 weeks to give rise to sufficient bacteria to allow nitrate and phosphate levels to drop. The main advantage of this method over using Wodka or sugar as a carbon source is that NP-reducing BioPellets stimulate local growth of bacteria in a filter compartment, instead of all over in the aquarium where they may clog up pipes and hoses. They also prevent the growth of cyanobacteria, as the bacteria growing on NP-reducing BioPellets will compete with these phototrophic nuisance microbes. Finally, NP-reducing BioPellets will save the aquarist a lot of time, as no daily dosages of carbon are required.

A proper starting dosage is 0.5-1 liter of pellets per 500 liters of system volume (12,5-25 fl. oz. for every 100 USG). After about 2-4 weeks, nitrate and phosphate levels should start decreasing. For some aquaria experiencing heavy feeding, higher dosages are appropriate. NP-reducing BioPellets are consumed by bacteria, which is why new pellets need to be added every 3-6 months to compensate for digested substrate. This can be seen during inspection of the filter. These figures however depend on aquarium conditions and are strongly influenced by feeding regimes and livestock. Taking regular measurements of both nitrate and phosphate levels in the aquarium is recommended, after which dosages may be increased or decreased.

We also suggest placing the outlet of the pellet filter in front of a protein skimmer, to limit the amount of bacteria entering the system. This has the additional benefit of increased gas exchange (CO2-removal and O2-addition). The pellets should never be used without sufficient aeration, as this may lead to low oxygen and pH levels, especially during night time. Proper aeration can be established with air pumps and protein skimmers.

When heavy feeding is required, it is recommended to combine the pellets with standard phosphate adsorbents. The reason for this is that most aquarium feeds contain higher levels of phosphate than is consumed by bacteria, fish and invertebrates, when compared to nitrogen. Some phosphate adsorbents however deplete alkalinity and may reduce pH. Using phosphate adsorbent media based on iron hydroxide does not have this disadvantage.

Important:
- Maintain sufficient water flow through the BioPellets, to prevent production of hydrogen sulfide gas.
- The use of ozone and UV will negatively affect bacterial recruitment of the BioPellets and increase the maturation time of the filter.
- When nitrate and phosphate are already very low before applying BioPellets, a decrease in these levels may not be detectable with standard aquarium test kits.

NP BioPellets

Permissions and Sources:
Aquarium Specialty

(Part 2 is a follow-up of Phosphates in Your Reef Aquarium – Part 1)

Sources of Phosphate
Phosphates come from a wide variety of sources. They can show up in fish and coral foods, fish waste, decaying or uneaten food, aquarium salts, pH and kH buffers, filter media, the water used in the aquarium, and even the sand. And every time you use any of these products, you introduce a little bit more phosphte into the system. If you are having phosphate issues in your aquarium, create a list of everything you add to the tank and research each item. Chances are there are several items on the list that could be responsible and each one has its own unique solution.

Frozen Mysis Shrimp

*Image of Frozen Fish Food Courtesy of Marine Depot

Phosphate Prevention
Phosphates are difficult to prevent and remove from the standard home reef aquarium. The best method of prevention is using pure water when you start the aquarium and do water changes. Some people still use tap water in their reef tanks. Some have even tricked themselves, and others, into believing that water from the “Windmills” and other

AquaFX RODI Water Filter

drinking water self-serve stations is good enough for their aquarium. But the absolutebest method for getting pure water is to purchase a reverse osmosis with deionization water filtration unit, or RO/DI for short. This setup sounds fancy and expensive, but considering the benefits, they are well worth it. Sure, you could buy water from your local fish store to save a little green. But how do know if the water is clean? With

EuroReef RS250 Protein Skimmer

an RO/DI unit of your own, you can monitor and control the quality being produced by changing the filters regularly and using a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).

Another way to prevent phosphates from getting into your aquarium is by the rinsing/soaking of fish foods, sand, and filtration media prior to their use. Frozen fish food contains phosphate-based binding agents that, with a small investment of time, can be rinsed off. Just place the frozen food into a coffee filter or pantyhose and rinse with RO/DI water. Sand and filtration media can be treated similarly. Since aragonite based sands contain some levels of phosphate, you should soak them in RO/DI water prior to adding it to your aquarium as substrate or using it in a calcium reactor. Soaking the sand will help to leach out some of those phosphates so they don’t make it into your aquarium.

Red Sea Coral Pro Sea Salt

*Image of Aquarium Salt Mix Courtesy of Marine Depot

Other items like aquarium salt mixes and buffers are sort of unavoidable. The best route here is to research each product and find the ones with the lowest amount of phosphates present. Various companies like AquariumWaterTesting.com have done synthetic sea salt studies and others are present as well. But if a product you are using doesn’t have any data regarding their phosphate levels, do a study yourself. Simply make a sample batch using the product and test it with a low range phosphate meter or test kit (the digital meters work the best). If testing isn’t available, do a trial and error in your aquarium. Add the product and notice any changes in algae levels. If algae becomes more pronounced, stop using the product.

Phosphate Removal
Since phosphates will make it into your aquarium no matter what, you have to be prepared for their removal. Large, frequent water changes will help the most, unless of course your salt mix

ZEOvit Additives

is full of phosphates. If that is in fact the case, you might have to take a different approach. A popular method for removing excess phosphates, besides the water change, is the use of phosphate absorbing media like Two Little Fishies Phosban or D-D ROWAphos. These and other phosphate absorbing media utilize ferric oxide hydroxide, which removes both phosphates and silicates. Other than phosphate removing media, there are also phosphate removing chemicals. A big one that comes to mind is ZEOvit. ZEOvit is a dosing procedure that uses ZEOlithic stones and various ZEOvit additives that removes ammonia and phosphates tremendously. It is an expensive dosing regimen, but ZEOvit has spectacular results.

Two Little Fishies Phosban Reactor

PhosBan Media

*Images of TLF PhosBan Reactor and TLF PhosBan Media Courtesy of Marine Depot

Another tool for phosphate removal is the use of Kalkwasser. Kalkwasser, Kalk for short, is a calcium hydroxide based supplement that has been used for calcium supplementation for decades. An additional benefit to raising calcium levels while keeping pH up is its ability to bind phosphates, which essentially make them unusable by algae and other organisms. Kalk has been a favorite calcium delivery method for decades, especially by early German aquarium keepers. Today, Kalk is easily attainable. It can be found as pickling lime, aquarium targeted products, and even soda lime.

The last method of phosphate removal is via the macroalgae populated refugium. The refugium is essentially

Grape Caulerpa

an aquarium located under and plumbed to the display aquarium. Of course, the location is a personal preference, but they all serve the same function…and that is to grow algae. Algae feeds off excess nutrients like nitrates and phosphates. Hence the algae outbreak in the display aquarium when phosphate levels climb. With a refugium, you can control the location of algae growth to some extent. It grows out of site in the refugium and helps keep your display aquarium clean and algae-free. Two popular algae used in the refugium are Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha. They are similar in their requirements, but each has its drawbacks and advantages. For more information on Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha, see Chaetomorpha vs Caulerpa, a previous article we wrote. Simply prune the algae back once it starts to grow out of control and donate the rest to another aquarist who is just starting up or having algae issues in their aquarium.

Permissions and Sources:
Marine Depot
TLF PhosBan Reactor from Marine Depot
TLF PhosBan Media from Marine Depot
Red Sea Coral Pro Salt from Marine Depot

Editor’s Note: This article is the first by Karlo Martinez. Karlo is an avid nano aquarium keeper and Do-It-Yourselfer. His DIY work has absolutely blown me away. If you have time, be sure to check out his nano tank build on MARSHreef.com, you’ll enjoy it, I promise.

Just want to do a little write up on nano reef tanks, which if you go to every site online will have different opinions about what is the correct size to call a tank a nano. I would consider any aquarium under 30 gallons to be labeled as a nano tank.

Nano tanks have become very popular in the past few years, whether it be for their cost savings or just the challenged of trying to keep a small reef. Now that many companies have seen this growth in popularity there is a large selection of tanks that can be acquired with all the necessary equipment already integrated, and all that need to be done is add your livestock.

Acrylic Nano Reef Aquarium

*Photo of this Nano Provided by the Author

Don’t be mistaken that just because it’s smaller it’s easier to take care of. They are actually more difficult to maintain because of their small size and any little change can make the tank crash. I would recommend on any nano tank to do at least one water change weekly and to always check the water quality…at least twice a week. One of the other problems that come with keeping a nano is the water temperature. With today’s lighting options and the always popular MH (Metal Halide) lighting, this is the biggest problem. It hits home for me, as I just experienced it first hand where high temperatures equals bad news. And this holds true not only MH but any other lights you use. Just the water volume alone in a small tank rises much faster. But it can be prevented by making a small investment in a chiller, which will give you peace of mind and not thinking about what could happen and all the work and money you have put into your tank can be lost so quickly.

Rear Chamber of Acrylic Aquarium

*Photo of this Nano Provided by the Author

One other thing that needs to be considered and researched is what type of livestock you want to keep in the tank, if any. Do your homework, ask questions, look at other tanks and see what is kept, don’t just go out and buy a nice “Dora” or “Nemo” because your kid loves the movie. Some of the recommended inhabitants that can be kept in a tank this small would be gobies, clownfish, and invertebrates such as snails and shrimp. Keep in mind that not all nano tanks come with a filtration system that are seen in larger setups and these will not handle too many inhabitants and their excess wastes. One of the best ways to keep a healthy tank is to include a good amount of live rock and a good sand bed which will help in the filtration and break down of waste.

Nano Reef Aquarium

*Photo of this Nano Provided by the Author

There is a more challenging size tank that aquarium hobbyist have also been keeping. These are the pico reef tanks. These come with all the same responsibilities as the nano, but require more monitoring and care. These tanks, in my opinion, are anything under 5 gallons and preferably do not include any fish in them. They will require even more frequent water changes and testing than nanos.

As with all types and sizes of tank the number one recommendation is to have patience, don’t hurry trying to catch up to someone else’s tank or try and make it look like the local stores tank because it also took them time to get it that way and not overnight.